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Though it would seem off-brand for Sir Richard Bishop to ever release a covers record, he’s developing quite the repertoire. Last year at Park Church Co-op, he did a beautiful version of “Till There Was You,” putting his own spin the Beatles classic. A couple weeks back at Union Pool, Bishop digs a little deeper with two surprising covers: the first is a faithful rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s 1970 hit “If You Could Read My Mind,” which has been covered by everyone, including Johnny Cash. You’ll find Bishop doing a pretty good Gordon Lightfoot impression here—and if you think you don’t know this just listen and I’m sure it’ll sound pretty familiar. The second is a cover of the Michael Nesmith-penned Monkees tune, “Tapioca Tundra.” Again, the title might not be familiar out of context, but once you hear it you’ll know the song. Beyond the covers Bishop plays a few tunes we’re used to seeing him play live like “Mystic Minor 23,” “Safe House,” and the Sun City Girls songs “Abydos” and “Radio Morocco.” For the finale, he plays “Space Prophet Dogon” into an exciting return to “Zurvan.”

I recorded this from our usual spot with MBHOs combined with a board feed courtesy of FOH Doug. The sound is terrific. Enjoy!

Until the surprise announcement of Bay Head from Gunn-Truscinski Duo last year, it seemed like these guys may never put out another record together. Their last platter, Ocean Parkway, was released back in 2012 and besides a very special gig for the Three Lobed Sweet Sixteen, the pair had been awfully quiet for a long time. Fortunately for us Bay Head picks up right where they left off, proving that when Steve Gunn and John Truscinski get a room together, it’s a rare magic that results. And speaking of rare, the duo aren’t doing many shows together in support of the record, but we were lucky enough to capture this set from Union Pool last week. Old classics “Bahn Mi Ringtones” and “Ocean Parkway” brought back memories of Zebulon gigs past, while new songs “Sugar,” “Seagulls for Chuck Berry,” and “Gunter” were captivatingly fresh.

If you’re in LA, be sure to grab tickets for their show with Body/Head.

And if you’re in Brooklyn, Union Pool has another free show scheduled for this Tuesday, Jan. 16, with the inimitable Sir Richard Bishop headlining.

I recorded this from our usual spot with MBHOs combined with a board feed courtesy of FOH Doug. The sound is terrific. Enjoy!

No matter how many times we see Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band, we always have something new to look forward to. This set celebrated the official release on No Quarter records of Dreaming In the Non-Dream, whose material we had heard live in various stages of completion over the past year. The outstanding final album versions are a can’t miss, so it was interesting for us to see how they’ve evolved live since the album’s release. This show at Union Pool covered three quarters of the album (meaning, three out of four songs) as well as two favorites from The Rarity of Experience, “High Castle Rock” and set-closer “The First Ten Minutes of Cocksucker Blues.” Forsyth broke this show into three parts, which he characterized as the “high-impact instrumental section, the singing section, and the long section.” As Forsyth regulars, we were jazzed to get a rare cover — Neil Young’s “Don’t Be Denied” as part of the vocal portion. But really, any appointment with Chris and his excellent band is one worth keeping. Catch them out on the road stateside for a few November shows, including November 18 at Brooklyn Steel with Luna.

I recorded this set with MBHO cardiod microphones, together with Doug’s house. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Tracks
01 History & Science Fiction
02 High Castle Rock
03 Have We Mistaken the Bottle for the Whiskey Inside
04 Don’t Be Denied [Neil Young]
05 Dreaming In the Non-Dream
06 The First Ten Minutes of Cocksucker Blues

If one thing has felt consistent in the world in the past year, it’s been Beyond Is Beyond Is Beyond records and their roster of incredible acts. If you’ve got a predilection for all things psychedelic, you absolutely can’t miss one of their releases. In a crowded field of standouts this year, the label released Dire Wolves‘ Excursions to Cloudland, and I was hooked from the first note. The San Francisco band doesn’t make it out east all that often, and that made me even more pumped for this Union Pool show — their first NYC show in eight years. The three-song set (their songs are long) didn’t disappoint, with the band’s expansive jamming on full display on three songs I hadn’t heard before. Not only is Dire Wolves one of relatively few bands of their type with a string section, but the current lineup also features two vocalists (Georgia and Rachael) whose voices meld seamlessly into the sonic tapestry, more as additional instruments within the whole rather than the traditional rock vocal format. Don’t confuse the album title with the band’s vibe; there is a tension, a darkness even, that flows through these songs, particularly the set closer, “Absolutely Perfect Sisters.” Their music creates a journey, but it’s more saga than fairytale, with brooding and ecstasy in equal measures. In the end, though, seeing a band this good is always a pleasure trip, no matter what the exact themes. Get acquainted.

I recorded this set with MBHO microphones and the house mix by Doug. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

It’s very cool that this bandcamp release has already made a 2017 Uncut playlist. If you’re not familiar with Uncut, check it out.

Tyvek took an uncharacteristically long break from recording between 2012’s On Triple Beams and last year’s Origin of What, but of course it was worth the wait. If you haven’t picked that one up yet, here’s your official reminder. It’s more of the raw energy you’ve come to expect from Tyvek, whose live performances also haven’t slowed down a bit in the last ten-plus years since “Frustration Rock” made them the biggest little punk band from Detroit. Tyvek is literally the most fun you can have watching a band do their thing, but throw in a mid-70s August day in Union Pool’s backyard and you’re in rock and roll heaven. Tyvek and the packed crowd sent off 2017’s Summer Thunder series in the finest form.

I recorded this set with acidjack’s Schoeps MK22’s set up right in front of the band, combined with a board feed from our man, Doug. The sound is raw—turn this one up for full effect!

Brooklyn’s no-frills, full-throttle Honey are longtime NYCTaper favs. We’re used to seeing the band playing dank DIY spaces, but this outdoor sunshine day show as part of Union Pool’s Summer Thunder series literally throws some light on the band. Crisp and clear upfront sound only manages to highlight their gritty garage punk. Paired up with Sunwatchers in an opening slot for the likeminded Feral Ohms, this is a ferocious set clocking in at under nineteen minutes—perfect for Honey to get the job done. Their new album New Moody Judy hits record stores everywhere via Wharf Cat Records on September 29th and this is just the primer you need.

I recorded this with the mics set up on stage, combined with a board feed courtesy of Union Pool engineer Doug. It sounds excellent. Enjoy!

Originally from Olympia, WA, you could be forgiven for assuming Gun Outfit sprung fully-formed from their current home base of Los Angeles, California. Their Twitter feed describes their music as “western expanse music,” and that feels right. Their simple self-possession and confident, low-key forward motion are as West Coast as Pacific swells. Or, to put it differently, they brought the perfect vibe for a laid-back summer afternoon at Union Pool, which continues its “Summer Thunder” series of outdoor shows for just one more week.

This set was notable for a few points, including the participation of longtime noise/guitar hero Henry Barnes (currently touring with the band as his Amps for Christ project) and the wide berth of the setlist, which covered some of the band’s oldest songs like “The Lack” and “Southern Chill” as well as forthcoming tracks from the recorded-but-not-yet-released new album. If you were a fan of the band’s most recent full-length, the 2015 Paradise of Bachelors release Dream All Over, this set wasn’t as focused on that (excellent) material, but the band seems to be continuing in the strong, consistent direction established by that record. Co-vocalists, -songwriters and -guitarists Dylan Sharp and Carrie Keith have an easy, relaxed interplay, and Barnes meshed perfectly, salting each composition with psychedelic guitar weirdness. If Gun Outfit are hard to pin down aesthetically — they’re punk but neither fast nor loud, they’re folk but not earnest, country but not not simple — their appeal, especially live under the sun, will be obvious to fans of all three. Look for that new record to arrive … sometime soon. ‘Til then, enjoy this little survey of this band’s career.

I recorded this set with head-mounted DPA 4061 microphones from the front of the audience near the stage. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

The Mountain Movers, of New Haven, CT, have been operating since the mid-2000s, but it feels like 2017 is their biggest moment yet. With the release of their self-titled LP on Chicago’s psychedelic mecca Trouble In Mind, the band have offered a bold new statement of purpose. Compared to a decade ago, their sound is almost unrecognizable; even compared to the psychedelic-leaning but more folk-driven Apple Mountain, what you hear today is vastly different. Simply put, this band has entered the deep zone, and I hope they stay there. The material from the self-titled record is far and away the band’s heaviest yet, exploring deep grooves interspersed with approachable hooks.

That was on display at Union Pool this past Wednesday, where the band used its minutes to play only four songs, from a new(?) instrumental and the album’s sprawling opener “I Could Really See Things” to its most straightforward track, “Angels Don’t Worry.” After gigs with Chris Forsyth and Kikagaku Moyo, among others, earlier this spring, the band is in fighting shape, ready to take on the summer mini-tour that kicked off with this show. It’s worth your time to get to know The Mountain Movers, who aren’t afraid to change course, or get weird, or get heavy. They’re at their very best when they do all three.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 microphones at the center of the balcony together with a soundboard feed from Union Pool engineer Doug. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

It’s been a short couple months since we last saw Sunwatchers, but picking up on the final date of the Feral Ohms-Sunwatchers-Honey tour, the band had a few new tunes to share with us. We hadn’t previously heard “Nose Beers” or “The Works” (except on this excellent recording from last year via Southern Shelter); and the perfectly-titled “Greeneyed Pigmen (Get the Blade)” also appears to be brand new. The centerpiece of their set is a wonderful cover of Alice Coltrane’s “Ptah, The El Daoud,” from her 1970 album of the same name. Coincidentally, none other than Pharoah Sanders plays on that record and he was in town the previous night for a free show in Prospect Park along with Brooklyn Raga Massive’s tribute to John and Alice Coltrane. No doubt the spirits were in alignment for this one.

I recorded this with the mics set up on stage, combined with a board feed courtesy of Union Pool engineer Doug. It sounds excellent. Enjoy!

Though this was their NYC debut, Ethan Miller’s latest garage fuzzout band, Feral Ohms, began quietly releasing singles on his Silver Current label way back in 2013. What the hell took them so long? Well, Miller’s had some other stuff going on like Howlin’ Rain, Heron Oblivion, and the too-damn-short Comets on Fire reunion from that same year. So we’ll let Feral Ohms skate on their longtime absence from the East Coast. Besides, the band—that’s Miller on guitar and vocals, Josh Haynes on bass, and Chris Johnson on drums—made up for it and then some with this literally scorching Saturday afternoon outdoor set as part of Union Pool’s Summer Thunder series. They played the entire self-titled record to huge smiles all around as the packed crowd took in the sun and the tunes. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait too long before the ’Ohms come back this way again.

I recorded this with the mics set up on stage, combined with a board feed courtesy of Union Pool engineer Doug. It sounds excellent. Enjoy!

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